Is The Carpenters’ ‘Superstar’ The Best Version Of The Song?

You might not recognize the Carpenters’ “Superstar” the moment it starts playing, but once Karen Carpenter’s voice starts belting the chorus, you know exactly what you’re listening to and want to sing along.

While the Carpenters’ version of “Superstar” is the most popular, they were not the first or last to try and make the song their own. This begs the question: Does being the most popular make it the best?

Let’s listen and see…

Delaney & Bonnie

Delaney and Bonnie were the original performers of “Groupie (Superstar)” (the name of the song when they first recorded it). Written in 1969 by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell — a famous session musician — Delaney and Bonnie’s version of the song is a little more bluesy than the Carpenters’ and a heck of a lot…